Marion County Fair Queen Pageant Preview

By Rob Sussman, WJBD News

Nine lovely Marion County women will be competing against each other in the 2014 Marion County Fair Queen Pageant. The nine women, from all over Marion County, will compete in three categories for a panel of judges next Tuesday, July 29th at the Marion County Fair.

Pageant Director and 2003 Marion County Fair Queen Ashley Stanford says that the experience so far as been remarkable.

"It's been great...they've been an excellent group to work with, and they would all make excellent queens" said Stanford.

Contestant #1, 19 year old Charli Decker, is a Salem High School Graduate who says she wants to be fair queen in order to be an ambassador for her county.

"It's been a great experience. I've made a lot of new friends, everyone is really great. And I've learned to walk in heels pretty darn good, if I do say so myself" said Decker.

Decker is currently a student, studying Speech Disorders at Southeast Missouri State University. In her spare time, she volunteers for Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

Contestant #2, 16 year old Kanady Grzegorek, is a South Central High School student. Why does she want to be fair queen?

"I think it would be fun to represent our county and get those experiences" said Grzegorek.

She hopes to attend Florida State University after High School to study Pediatrics. In her spare time, she likes to hunt.

Contestant #3, 17 year old Emily Downs, is a student at Salem Community High School. She wants to be fair queen in order to learn more about her community. She hopes to go to KC after high school and ultimately wants to get her Bachelors degree in nursing from SIUE.

"One interesting thing about me is that I like working with kids who are Autistic and have emotional disorders. If I wouldn't become a nurse, I would want to be a speech pathologist" said Downs.

Contestant #4 is 20 year old Hailey Phillips, a graduate of Salem Community High School. Why does she want to be fair queen?

"I would be a good fair queen because I'm very positive. Life is too short to think of the glass half empty. I like to think of it as half-full" Phillips said.

She plans on transferring from Kaskaskia College to SIUE to get a bachelors in Early Childhood Education. She's been a vegetarian for four years.

Contestant #5 is 17 year old Rhiannon Branch, is a Salem High School student. She wants to be fair queen to spread the good word of the Marion County Fair.

"I've grown up on these Fairgrounds all my life, showing cattle, and I'm really passionate about what County Fairs mean to the state of Illinois and to the Agricultural world" said Branch.

She hopes to go to college to major in Agricultural Communication, and aspires to write for Ag Publications or in Ag Radio. She is active in 4-H and enjoys livestock judging and has been on a team that has won two national livestock judging contests.

Contestant #6 is 19 year old Amanda Jourdan, a Salem High School Graduate and current Kaskaskia College Student. She says she wants to be fair queen because of her involvement with the county.

"I would love to be a travelling nurse. I plan to transfer to Edwardsville and major in Nursing" said Jourdan.

In her spare time, she participates in charity events such as the Tour De Cure Bike Race for the American Diabetes Association.

Contestant #7 is 21 year old Becky Black, a Salem High School Graduate who wants to be fair queen in order to spread the word about how "awesome" the Marion County Fair is. She recently graduated from Kaskaskia College and hopes to enter the work world as a Dental Hygienist. In her spare time?